How To Balance Your Side Hustle With A Full Time Job

Everyone should have a side hustle. Especially if you’re living single in NYC. The cost of living is expensive AF. It’s hard in these streets as a single person with a single income. So unless you’re making big bucks (I mean really BIG), have a trust fund, a Sugar Daddy (or Mama) or a rent controlled apartment (almost non-existent), you can benefit from a side hustle or two. Even if you have all of these things, who doesn’t like some extra mula?! Whether it be just a means to make extra cash to make ends meet, pay off debt or save for a trip. A safety net in the event of a government shutdown (ahem Federal Employees). Or a way to pursue your entrepreneurial endeavors. A side hustle is always a good look.

The thing is, it may be hard to balance your side hustle with a full time job. Trust me, I know as I have multiple side hustles along with a 9 to 5. Not only am I a Content Creator and Editor-in-Chief of The Glamorous Gleam, I’m also a Freelance Hairstylist & MUA. And a single mom which is a full time job in itself. It may be hard but it’s not impossible as I’ve been doing it for years. I’m passionate about my side hustles and the plan is to eventually convert them into my main source of income. But I don’t plan to quit my day job in the near future. Read this post if you’d like to know why. In the meantime though, here’s how I balance my side hustles with my full time job.

Always make time for your side hustle.

I don’t care if it’s only 30 minutes a day, I always make time for my personal businesses. No way that I’m going to work for the man everyday and not commit some time to myself. There’s no such thing as having no time. If you really want something you’ll make time for it. Get up a half hour earlier than usual to commit some time to your craft. If you take public transit, brainstorm and respond to emails during your commute. Or do it on your lunch break. Cut back on the idle browsing of social media and use that time to be more productive. Don’t sit down and binge watch Netflix unless you’ve gotten in some work for the day. Dedicating time to your side hustle wherever you can is important if you wish to have a successful business venture.

Plan your day.

It’s easier to balance your time if you plan in advance. My planner is my life. Every Sunday I sit down and think about what I’d like to accomplish for the week and put everything in my planner. I mean everything. Work. Play. Family. Me Time. This way I have a clear idea of when I have time for what. I plan loosely at this stage as I don’t always give each activity a set time, but I do designate days. Then I plug the activities into my calendar and schedule set times to get things done. For instance, I’ll schedule a photoshoot on Monday during my lunch break, and an hour or two after dinner to edit pictures and draft a blog post. I’ll carve out Friday evening for movie night with my son, and designate Saturday morning and afternoon for hair clients or filming. My planner allows me to see my week at a glance. But my calendar allows me to see my day on the go and gives me a clear idea of when I have open slots in my schedule for my side hustles. It also provides visual reminders which helps me to get everything done. I used to carry my planner in my purse. But I’m able to leave it home now that I use my calendar in combination.

Self Care is Key.

While dedicating time to your side hustle alongside the time you commit to your full time job is important, self care is the key to balance. No matter what, you have to make time for yourself. To relax, recharge, recoup or even simply be still and do nothing. Aside from my planner I don’t do any work on Sundays. No blog work. I don’t schedule hair clients (unless it’s an emergency.) No emails. I take the time to wash my hair and do a facial. Tend to my nails and my toes. Curl up on the couch and binge watch my shows. Meal prep. Catch up on some sleep. Whatever I feel like doing as long as there is no work involved. It’s a day of Me Time. In order to be able to commit time to others and your work, you must commit time to yourself and your well being. You’re your number one priority.

In a nutshell, balancing your side hustle with your full time job requires dedication. Dedication to carving out time to make your business venture successful. As well as dedication to taking care of yourself so that you may put your best foot forward in all that you do.

Erica

When I’m not hunting down the latest and greatest beauty products, beating a face or lacing a do, you can find me roaming the streets of NYC in my stilettos looking for the next best restaurant. Or in the kitchen trying to outdo myself from the last time.